WHO criticizes travel bans on southern African countries

29/11/2021 6:32

        The World Health Organization on Sunday urged countries around the world not to impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concerns over the new omicron variant.
        
        WHO's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, called on countries to follow science and international health regulations in order to avoid using travel restrictions.
        
        Moeti said. “If restrictions are implemented, they should not be unnecessarily invasive or intrusive, and should be scientifically based, according to the International Health Regulations, which is a legally binding instrument of international law recognized by over 190 nations.”
        
        Moeti praised South Africa for following international health regulations and informing WHO as soon as its national laboratory identified the omicron variant.
        
        He also added “The speed and transparency of the South African and Botswana governments in informing the world of the new variant is to be commended," "WHO stands with African countries which had the courage to boldly share life-saving public health information, helping protect the world against the spread of COVID-19.”
        
        Cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in countries on opposite sides of the world Sunday and many governments rushed to close their borders even as scientists cautioned that it’s not clear if the new variant is more alarming than other versions of the virus.